fraid of made-up things?

One day an animal show came to the town. For one whole day big white
tents were in the meadow at the rear of the orchard which belonged to
Chalmers' father, and, what with the rumbling red and yellow wagons, the
noise and confusion, the shouting of the men, the roaring of the lions
and howling and snarling of the other animals--well, really, it was
almost like being next door to a jungle! And it was after midnight
before everything was packed up and put on board the long train of cars.

Now the show people left one of their smaller wagons behind them; it was
a very old one and something was the matter with it so that they didn't
think it worth while repairing. So the next morning, there it stood near
the elm tree out in the meadow. Then, what do you suppose? Well, it was
a very foolish thing to do, but Chalmers got it into his head that some
of the animals had been left in that wagon!

"I dare say they are 'Biters,' and maybe, sometime if I go near them,
they'll pounce out and grab me!" the little boy said to himself, and not
a day passed that he didn't cast scared glances toward the tattered
cover of the wagon. Of course there were times when he felt quite brave
and actually wanted to peep into the wagon; more than once he had
visions of what a delightful time he might have with it, making believe
it was a street car, or playing with it as an omnibus--but he never
mustered up enough courage to do this.

One day as he came home from school he happened to glance at the wagon
and his heart seemed to jump up into his throat. Surely there was
something stirring inside that wagon; he saw the canvas cover bulge
out--no, it wasn't the wind fluttering it! Besides he was positive that
he heard queer noises inside.

"It's the 'Biters'--I know it is;" he gasped.

At first he was tempted to run right into the house, then something
inside of him seemed to say, "Don't be such a coward, Chalmers! Don't
you remember what the teacher told you today about General Washington
and other brave men?"

So Chalmers stood still a minute.

"I'll not be a coward! Besides, there's mother sitting and sewing on the
side porch."

So Chalmers climbed over into the meadow and went toward the wagon. When
he got to the rear of it and peeped in, what do you think he heard and
saw? Oh, such a lot of chuckles and giggles, and there, seated in a row
were his cousins--plump little Marjory, laughing Sharley and cute little
J